Heritage and History of Madurai

[saileshmurali]

http://www.indian-heritage.org/templ...ai/1000p1.html

[Madurai gilli]

மதுரை : மதுரையில் நூறாண்டுகளை கடந்து நிற்கும், விளக்குத்தூண் போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷன் கட்டடத்தை இடிக்கக்கூடாது என, கலை மற்றும் பாரம்பரிய தேசிய அறக்கட்டளை வலியுறுத்தியது. இக்கட்டடம் 9.7.1912ல் போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷனாக மாற்றப்பட்டது. கட்டடம் 250 ஆண்டுகள் பழமைவாய்ந்ததாக கருதப்படுகிறது. நாயக்கர் காலத்தில் கட்டப்பட்டு, ஆங்கிலேயரால் பராமரிக்கப்பட்டது. வெயில் காலத்தில் குளுமையாக இருக்க ஏதுவாக, மேற்கூரைகள் வடிவமைக்கப்பட்டுள்ளன.

கலை, பராம்பரிய தேசிய அறக்கட்டளைத் தலைவர் அரவிந்த்குமார் சங்கர் கூறியதாவது: மதுரையில் மிகப் பழமையான போலீஸ் ஸ்டேஷன் என்ற பெருமை இக்கட்டடத்திற்கு உண்டு. இதை இடிக்கக்கூடாது. ஒவ்வொரு பாரம்பரியத்தையும் இழந்து கொண்டே வருகிறோம். இந்நிலை நீடித்தால், அடுத்த தலைமுறைக்கு பாரம்பரியத்தை தெரிவிக்க ஒன்றும் இருக்காது. அரசு சார்பில் நடவடிக்கை இல்லை எனில், சட்டரீதியாக காக்கவும் முடிவு செய்வோம், என்றார்.

பாரம்பரியம் மிக்க தொன்மை நகரான மதுரையின் வரலாற்று சின்னங்களை காப்பது நமது கடமை. இதுவே வெளிநாடு என்றால், பாரம்பரிய சின்னங்களை உரியமுறையில் பாதுகாத்து, கட்டணம் வசூலித்து, பொதுமக்களை பார்க்க அனுமதிப்பர். ஆனால் நமது ஊரிலோ, திருமலை நாயக்கர் மகால் போன்ற பாரம்பரிய இடங்களை போதிய அளவு பாதுகாக்காமல், பார்வையாளர்கள் சுவர்களில் கிறுக்கி வைக்கின்றனர். திரைப்பட படப்பிடிப்பு போன்றவற்றிற்கு அனுமதி அளித்து, சுவர்களையும் தூண்களையும் பாழாக்குகின்றனர்.

http://www.dinamalar.com/district_detail.asp?id=391166

[rsubbu.mdu]

Originally Posted by madurakarenda

Yeah gilli you have posted a similar thing Imagine the size of the temple if the roya gopuram had been completed there It is incomplete now with pillars kinda thing alone because the ruler who planned it died or something miserable happened

Hi MK,

The ruler who built the unfinished Raya Gopuram was none other than Tirumalai Nayak. Few other Motta gopuras also were his gift to TN. Though people of Madurai recall Tirumalai due to the palace, the finest rulers of Nayak dynasty were Visvanatha Nayak and Krishnappa Nayak and these two rulers were guided by their minister Ariyanatha Nayak.

[madurakarenda]

Originally Posted by rsubbu.mdu

Hi MK,

The ruler who built the unfinished Raya Gopuram was none other than Tirumalai Nayak. Few other Motta gopuras also were his gift to TN. Though people of Madurai recall Tirumalai due to the palace, the finest rulers of Nayak dynasty were Visvanatha Nayak and Krishnappa Nayak and these two rulers were guided by their minister Ariyanatha Nayak.

Rsubbu, you are rocking by providing historical information Can you post articles regarding the same so that it may be useful for many including me?

[rsubbu.mdu]

Originally Posted by madurakarenda

Rsubbu, you are rocking by providing historical information Can you post articles regarding the same so that it may be useful for many including me?

MK,

I very often feel that people of Mdu are not much aware of the history of the city. They just know that we were ruled by Pandya's and Nayak's. They still don't know the contribution of Vijayanagara empire in salvaging Madurai from the Invaders who razed the city to the ground. I have plans to put together a capsule. Currently i am reading a book which has lot of details. I am planninmg a deck with bullets on important events and i will also include the various maps and old photographs shared by you and MG in that. I need more time as iam bit tied up on professional side....

[rsubbu.mdu]

Time for some Rail history now...


January 20, 1989

Remarks: 6 locos, a mix of YP and YG classes, are gathered around the turntable at Madurai. I was just too young to have witnessed scenes like this at home in England, so it was really a wonderful sight for me.

Source


December 21, 1989
Remarks: Metre gauge YG 2-8-2 No 3409 arrives at Silaiman with a morning local from Madurai in 1989. I presume that there are semaphore signals showing their red paint on the other side of the backing boards.
Source



December 20, 1989
Remarks: 6 withdrawn metre gauge locos of YP and YG class are seen in varying stages of scrapping at Madurai shed in 1989.
Source

Madura Coats compound can be seen in the background.



Coaling line backstage at the Madurai Steam Loco Shed. January 1997. Weggi.
Source:IRFCA


The turntable at Madurai Steam Loco Shed. January 1997. Weggi.
Source:IRFCA



View of the Madurai Steam Loco Shed. January 1997. Weggi.
Source:IRFCA


Staff hard at work. Madurai Steam Loco Shed. January 1997. Weggi.
Source:IRFCA
---------------------

I had a opportunity of travelling in a Steam Loco driven NMR formation last weekend. It was an experience in itself which can hardly be conveyed through words. Will share those pics in the TN tourism thread shortly.

[madurakarenda]

Originally Posted by rsubbu.mdu

MK,

I very often feel that people of Mdu are not much aware of the history of the city. They just know that we were ruled by Pandya's and Nayak's. They still don't know the contribution of Vijayanagara empire in salvaging Madurai from the Invaders who razed the city to the ground. I have plans to put together a capsule. Currently i am reading a book which has lot of details. I am planninmg a deck with bullets on important events and i will also include the various maps and old photographs shared by you and MG in that. I need more time as iam bit tied up on professional side....

Yes rsubbu. I have read about invasion of Maalik kapoor and all. The sad part of TN educational system is they give importance to Indian history but not TN history. TN history should be emphasized in school education is what I feel.

[rsubbu.mdu]

Originally Posted by madurakarenda

Yes rsubbu. I have read about invasion of Maalik kapoor and all. The sad part of TN educational system is they give importance to Indian history but not TN history. TN history should be emphasized in school education is what I feel.

Don't worry MK, not only TN history even Indian history is heavily distorted where heroes are made out of Invaders..... And few people are called the father of the nation and all giving them too much credit.

One correction, it is "Malik Kafur" the general of Alauddin Khilji.

[rsubbu.mdu]

Of caves and temples inside
May 03, 2008, The Hindu



No prizes for guessing where Lord Muruga married Devasena as per the legend. Tiruparankundram is the answer, surely known to all.

But the next question is surely difficult. Where he held the public reception with his new bride?

The answer may lies in a visit to the Ladan Cave Temple in the foothills of Yanamalai.

A small lane adjacent to the famous Lord Yoga Narasimhar Temple leads visitors to a rocky terrain and then to the Ladan Cave Temple, which is built in the style of early Pandya period.

Tusk-shaped

This rock-cut temple, dedicated to Lord Muruga and his consort Goddess Devesena exclusively, belongs to eighth century A.D, according to Archaeological officers.

Huge tusk-shaped staircase from either side leads to the front mandap where the peacock and a cock stand on two pilasters (half pillars) on the left and right side. The front mandap also has sculptures of saints and kings who are all attentive to the orders of their Lord. The roof is held by the dwarf structured goblin freeze (boothakanagal).





The rectangular sanctum sanctorum has Lord Muruga and his consort Goddess Devesena, on his left.

These are bas-relief sculptures, made out of single rock especially in rock-cut temples like Ladan Temple.

Here, Lord Muruga has a band of flowers (kannimaalai) on his head and crossed chain (channaveeram) on his chest. Similarly, Goddess Devasena is decked beautifully in well-designed dress materials and locks of hair are intrinsically carved to give the feel of a wonderful modern hairdo. This extra care in dressing and the bunch of flowers may lead all to believe that this was the venue of the reception.

Peacock and cock

Apart from these structures, the presence of peacock and cock doubly ascertain that the sculpture is that of Lord Muruga. The pillars and walls of the cave temple are decorated with fully blossomed lotus flower either in square or octagonal-shaped designs besides the wavy carbels (tharangapodigai) on the pillars.

On the eastern wall there is a ‘vattelluthu’ inscription that bears a sentence indicating the renovation work that was taken up in the ninth century A.D. The sentence is “pullari vattakuruchi Nambiran patta somayaji parivirajakar pudukku.”

According to Archaeological Officer, C. Shanthalingam ‘pullari vattakuruchi’ would probably refer to the place while ‘somayaji’ refers to a Brahmin and ‘parivirajakar’ the name of the person and the word ‘pudukku’ refers to renovation work.

Lada Sanyasi

Briefing about the name of the temple, he says that temple was named after the presence of Lada Sanniyasi, whose sculpture is inscribed at the base of the stairs. It is believed that Sanyasi was from Bengal, which is referred as Lada Desam.

The adjacent Narasimhar Temple was built by Paranthaga Neduchadaya Varagunan in 770 A.D. Probably, the Pandya kings built the Vishnu and Muruga Temple at the foot of the elephant hill as a countercheck to the then flourishing Jainism, Mr. Shanthalingam adds.

Hinduism and Jainism

He also notes that Vaishnavites and Saivites wanted to establish the victorious forms of Gods – Narasimha (Hiraniakasibu) and Muruga (Surabadman) – when Jainism was at its peak.

Similarly, he also points out that there was a trend in establishing cave temples exclusively for Gods and Goddess. There are cave temples for Lord Shiva and Parvathi belonging to 8th century A.D at Piranmalai near Singampunari and at Tirumalai in Sivaganga district.

Anybody can visit the temple and enjoy the extravaganza, of course, with prior permission from ASI at Tirumalai Naicker Mahal.

[rsubbu.mdu]

Sri Koodal Azhagar Temple – Madurai – Thirukkoodal



About Temple

Apart from being the political capital of the Pandyan and Nayakan dynasties, the importance of the city of Madurai lies in the fact that it was an important center of art and culture. Its temples are the best manifestations of its unique cultural heritage. The Koodal Alagar Temple in Madurai is an ancient temple that reflects the cultural heritage of the land in keeping with the tradition of the land.

Located at a distance of about 2 km to the west of the city, the Koodal Alagar Temple is dedicated to Lord Vishnu, an important God of the Hindu pantheon. There are three altars in the Koodal Alagar Temple and in all the altars Lord Vishnu resides in three different postures.

The presiding deity of the temple is Lord Koodal Alagar who is Lord Vishnu in a seated posture under the Serpent Lord Aadhiseshan. This is the most revered shrine of the temple. Lord Vishnu in a reclining posture is better known as Sri Ranganatha and his altar is just above the altar of Lord Koodal Alagar. Lord Vishnu in a standing pose referred to as Sri Surya Narayan Perumal adorns the temple.

There are a total of 108 Divya Desam or Vaishnavite Shrines in the country. But in only two of these shrines can one witness Lord Vishnu in all three postures – standing, sitting and reclining. The Koodal Alagar Temple is one of those two temples to have this unique feature.

On the occasion of Mahasamprokashanam, the Koodal Alagar, Madurai is thronged by a large number of devotees. As it is not held very frequently, the joyous enthusiasm of the people is really worth noticing. Renovation of the temple that cost more than a crore was undertaken when it was celebrated recently in the year 2006. The paint used was special and made from medicinal herbs of Kerala. It will last for thousands of years.

The other impressive features of the Koodal Alagar Temple, Madurai include the ornamental windows. They are elegantly carved and reflective of the exceptional skills of the stone masons. The intricately carved wooden panels are simply spectacular. What will particularly catch your attention is the panel that portrays Lord Rama’s Pattabhishekham or coronation.

In the temple tower at the entrance, one sees the story of the Ramayana and Mahabaratha depicted through sculpture in different tiers of the tower. These sculptures can be closely seen from Tier 1 of the temple and are not to be missed.

When you visit the Koodal Alagar Temple, the sight of Lord Vishnu at Ashtanga Vimanan will surely remain etched in your minds forever. So make it a point to visit this 1,500 year old temple.

Location

Located very near to Periyar (central) bus stand and the railway junction, Madurai. The towering golden Sthupi is visible from the central bus stand guiding the pilgrims to its vicinity.


History

This temple hails from the earliest Age of Sangam period. There are references of this temple in Paripadal and Silappadikaram. The presiding deity was praised and worshipped by the Sangam tamil Poets as the president and guardian deity of the Sangam and called him by the name “Thuvarikoman” (the King who ruled over from Dwaraka) and Koodal Alagar. Koodal refers to the assembly of Poets and scholars. The Ancient Pandya rulers celebrated Avani Onam festival in praise of Sri Koodal Alagar for a period seven days. This festival is vividly described in Maduraikkanchi, on the ten lengthy poems called Pathupattu of the Sangam period. Ilangovadigal praises the Lord as “Needu Neer-Vaigai Nedumal” meaning the Lord who spanned the universe by taking three strides. (Thiruvokrama) Who is now seated at the bank of the river Vaigai in Archa form.

Arts and Archiecture

The sanctum sanctorums of this temple are seen one above the other, it is unique to this temple. Convenient steps have been provided to reach the top floors. Just like the Peria koil tower of Tanjore, the shadows of Astanganga vimanam do not fall on the ground. The stone walls on the 3 sides of the Athittanam are full of artistic works. Sun’s rays reach the sanctum sanctorum through the 7 windows in this wall. There are beautiful sculptures made of lime mortar on the Vimanam (structure over the sanctum sanctorum). In the third floor, the scenes of “Dasavatharam”(the ten Incarnations) are depited with lime mortar sculptures around the shrine. The shrine of goddess thayar Maragathavalli, built with granite stones and carved with sculptural works is seen here. There is an unjal mandapam (swinging mandapam) full of artistic wooden works.

Large Monoilithic sculptures of yallies are found here. Also there are musical pillars in this temple. Sri Andaal shrine is in the northern part of Perumal shrine.

PeriAzhvaar’s praise

Pandya king Pururavan contributed a lot for the Koodal Lord. His grandson conquered the North and came back prompting PeriAzhvaar to sing:

“Parupathu Kayal Poritha Pandyar Kulapathipol
ThiruPolintha Sevadi En Senniyin Mel
Porithathaai MaruPosithaai, Enrenrum Vaasagamey
UruPolintha Naavinenai Unakurithaakinaiye”



Later, another Pandya king Vallabadevan wanted to know the Lord with the power to show the way to Paramapatham, the heavenly abode. The King hung a Golden Parrot with the announcement that the parrot would automatically fall, once someone informs him of the right Lord to Paramapatham. Several came and went back without success.

It is believed that the Koodal Lord appeared in the dreams of Vallabadevan’s priest Selvanambi and suggested the name of PeriAzhvaar of Srivilliputhur. Accordingly, PeriAzhvaar was brought to the court of the Pandya King in Madurai. With several examples from vedic scriptures as well as historical references, PeriAzhvaar showcased to the Pandya King that Lord Vishnu was the Lord who could take one to the heavenly abode. And to every one’s surprise the parrot fell down.

The Azhvaar taken on a Street procession in Koodal
A delighted Pandya king praised PeriAzhvaar and took him on an elephant procession through the streets of Madurai. Legend has it that Koodal Azhagar himself came to see this sight on his Garuda Vaahanam.
“Pandyan Kondaada PattarBhiraan Sonnaan Enru…….”

PeriAzhvaar’s Thiru Pallaandu
Delighted at the sight of the Koodal Lord, PeriAzhvaar showered praises with his Pallaandu. Hence, Koodal Azhagar is credited with origination of ThiruPallaandu, which now has come to be sung as the first 12 songs of the Divya Prabhandham. Being the place where PeriAzhvaar sang the now famous Pallaandu, this place is considered equivalent to Paramapatham.

“Pallandu Pallaandu Pallayirathaandu, Palakodi Nooraayiram
Mallanda Thinthol Manivanna Un Sevadi Seppu ThiruKaapu…..”
The Pandya Symbol

Pandya king Sathya Varadan undertook penance before the Koodal Lord, who gave him darshan inside a sacred tumbler, as a fish. This is stated to be the reason for the Pandyas to have ‘Fish’ as their symbol in their flags.
Vaigai And Krithumala

At Sathya Logam, Brahmma washed the legs of Lord Vishnu, after his Trivikrama Avataaram, the sacred water drops of which fell on Madurai. These sacred drops spread as two rivers, Vaigai and Krithumala. Koodal Azhagar temple is on the banks of Kruthumala river.
Temple Cars

This temple is endowed with a beautiful wodden Car.


Legend
Brahmanda Purana vividly describes this kshetra in seven chapters. Sri Koodal Alagar is seated in the Ashtanga vimana flanked by his consorts. The legendary Kings Prithu, Malaydioaja workshipped Sri Koodal Alagar, who bestowed them with prosperity and attainment of moksha at the end. The Grand Invocation:Alwars are mystical saints who glorified the presence of Narayana in temples by their hymns. Among them vishnu chittha has a unique position. He was invited to visit the Pandya Court at Madurai in order to settle the disputes among the various religious sects. Vishnuchitha established the supremacy of Sriman Narayana by quoting profusely the vedic texts in support of his argument. At the end of his argument a miracle happened. The purse containing gold coins suspended in a pole landed down in the hand of Vishnuchittha. This was a divine acceptance!. The King celebrated this victory by seating Vishnuchittha on the decorated throne placed on the back of royal elephant and he himself led the procession accompanied by the vedic Pandits. Sri Koodal Alagar pleased by the grand victory appeared before the procession seated on the shoulders of Garuda the divine vehicle and blessed Vishnuchittha. Vishnuchittha got himself immered in the infinite beauty of the lord, regaining his senses he blessed the lord, with a long life of thousands of years by expressing his wishes in the form of twelve verses (first) in tamil known as Thirupallandu. Vishnuchittha recited the verse in tune with the ringing of the bells tied to the elephant. He offered Mangalasasanam at the holy feet of Sri Koodal Alagar. Thirupallandu is recited even today as the starting invocations in the shrines. The Pandya King praised Vishnuchittha as “Pattar piran” while the lord gave him the name “Periyalwar”. Vishnuchitta is regarded as the foremost among the twelve Alwars by the merit of his infinite love and utterance of Pallandu, which was given the foremost place in the recital of Divya Prabandam by Nathamuni who confided the Naalayira divya prabandam.

Unique Pilgirm Centre

Sri Koodal alagar temple one among the 108 Vaishnavaite shrines, is unique as Alwars had performed Mangalasasanam for this temple. Also Periyalwar had praised this temple in his literary work “Thiruppallandu”. Attanga vimana considered the foremost among the 94 vimanas is found over the sanctum sanctorum of this temple. It is rare to see Attanga vimana in temples, which adds to the uniqueness of Sri Koodal alagar temple. It is believed that by coming around the Attanga vimana, 12 times for continous 45 days, one’s wish will be satisfied.

Courtesy : http://www.pilgrimtrips.com/

[rsubbu.mdu]

FDC of the Inaugral Run of the Vaigai Express on 15-8-1977. The FDC have both Madras and Madurai Cancellations. The FDC of Madras-Madurai Vaigai express shows the clock with the departure time (1400hrs) at Madras Egmore and the arrival time (2130hrs) at Madurai Junction and the same from Madurai (0600hrs) to Madras (1330hrs). M Senthil Kumar

Source:IRFCA



FDC of the Inaugral Run of the Vaigai Express on 15-8-1977. The FDC have both Madras and Madurai Cancellations. The FDC of Madras-Madurai Vaigai express shows the clock with the departure time (1400hrs) at Madras Egmore and the arrival time (2130hrs) at Madurai Junction and the same from Madurai (0600hrs) to Madras (1330hrs). M Senthil Kumar

Source:IRFCA

[Madurai gilli]

Life in the lazy lanes off the busy North Masi Street



Nallathangam, with a head full of white hair, squats on the small cement platform outside her house from five in the morning to ten in the night daily. At 85, she has nothing else to do but simply sit and watch the world go by. Only thrice a day, she disappears briefly behind the curtain hanging over the main door of the house. “I need to eat three small meals. My five sons and their wives provide for me,” she says. Women from adjacent houses occasionally stop by to exchange banter. The postman, the vegetable vendor or the ‘uppu' seller sometimes pause to enquire about her health.

Nallathangam does not complain about life or, for that matter, anything else. Neither does another bent-with-age octogenarian Shanmugam living two lanes away. You will find her also sitting on the threshold the entire day once she has fetched water from the municipality tap 500 m away. “I go to fill water daily at 10 a.m. This one large plastic pot is sufficient for me. After that I enjoy watching the cars and other vehicles and people going past. It is better than watching TV,” she smiles.

One comes across many more such elderly women and their young daughters and younger daughters-in-law inside these narrow lanes, called the ‘kal sandhu', that branch off the busy North Masi Street. These are probably the only niches in the city where life still resembles a slow-motion picture of the 60s and 70s. These are Madurai's lesser known lanes which bear no names, where it is almost dark even in broad daylight, where the sky appears like a blue ribbon through the gap between the roofs of the old and new buildings.

Even if you step inside these lanes in the afternoon, you will find the colourful morning kolams still fresh, women sitting on thinnais gossiping and mechanically finishing household chores. You will smell the strong puli kuzhambu steaming in aluminium pots. Then the sights: clothes drying on a string by one side of the lane; cycles and mopeds chained to windows and doors on the other side; small children happily playing in groups or defecating, alone, in a corner. Cows and goats let out an occasional cry from the sheds, squirrels and rats gnaw into the cow dung, cats and dogs look for food, birds peck into haystack.

Life moves at its own pace and no one seems to be in a rush here. A cycle rings from behind and we almost kiss the walls to make way. A resident of 45 years, Sethuram Konar tells us there are at least 30 such narrow lanes, if not more, that branch off this main road and curve and bend and intertwine before reaching some dead end. Not even two feet wide, some of them run up to a kilometre and even more.

Mostly identified by the communities that inhabit these places, these lanes house some amazing structures. In Aadi Konar Sandhu, we find quite a few century-old houses with antique doors and wooden pillars, many abandoned and some still in use. They share their walls with newer structures. Except for this curious mosaic of the old and the new, it resembles a compressed village life, where people seem to have all the time.

The afternoon calm is occasionally broken by a rhythmic ‘tak tak' – the pounding of betel nuts. Ponnathal, 80, is preparing her post-lunch paakku, as she sits by the hand pump, her legs leisurely stretched Many of these women were born in these houses: they left after they got married and are now back as widows. Their sons and daughters, who now occupy the houses, leave a corner for them. In this burrow of theirs, they chat, fight, cook, exchange curries, watch serials, raise grandchildren and spend most of their time at the doorstep. The lane is their world.

Sooty kitchens and smoking stoves, dingy stairs and cramped rooms, creaking doors and whirring fans, wobbling cots and rickety chairs, torn mats and old calendars with photos of gods and goddesses — they make up the houses built on plots measuring not more than 450 sq. ft. There may be a tussle for space but there is no tension on their faces. They break into a smile whenever they encounter new people like us.

Ashok Kumar, a smartly turned out Yadava College graduate who now works in a pharmaceutical company, waves at us. He is the fourth generation of his family living in the same old house. “All our extended family members also live here. We can't imagine leaving this place built by our forefathers. This is prime location where the monthly rent is Rs. 6,000 and the deposit Rs. 1 lakh advance even for such pigeon-hole accommodation,” he shares.

Along with him, as we step out of the unimaginably narrow lane, a honking jeep on the busy Masi Street throws us back into our real life. Suddenly, the burden of living in a different kind of hustle-bustle comes back. Ashok Kumar shrugs it off saying, “We have learnt to adapt to both the worlds. Inside our lanes, it is very secure and traditional. Just a step outside in the scorching sun, it is the fear of the unknown.”

(City 3Sixty is a monthly column that captures the different moods of the city. It appears last Thursday of every month).

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/history...cle2831513.ece

[kannan infratech]

We travelled by Vaigai express on the third or fourth day from Madurai to Chennai.

My mother was terrified by that speed and warned me not to go to next compartment through the vestibule.

It was fun.

[ilikemadurai]

Unsure if this has been posted before.

"Kaaval Kottam" tamil novel discusses(amongst others) about ancient Madurai's security system in depth. It's author Mr. Su. Venkatesan has won Sahiteya Academy Award for the same.

http://www.thehindu.com/arts/books/article2735141.ece

http://tamil.koodal.com/tamil/books/...r=s-venkatesan

[madurakarenda]

One could come across the place called 'Rajdhanikoattai' from Dindigul to Madurai on road near Kodai road. Any connections with history because the name looks like it has connections with some 'Rajdhani' probably New Delhi?

[rsubbu.mdu]

Originally Posted by madurakarenda

One could come across the place called 'Rajdhanikoattai' from Dindigul to Madurai on road near Kodai road. Any connections with history because the name looks like it has connections with some 'Rajdhani' probably New Delhi?

MK,

Not sure about this place. History talks about three forts which served as a protection from any invasion the city of Madura. Those were Dindigul, Natham and Trichy. Not sure whether the fort at Natham still exists. The location of Madurai was bit ideal in terms of safety purposes. The capital of the kingdom when shifted to Trichy led to the obvious calamity which the other rulers could forsee and hence never opted for Trichy earlier. Even Hampi met a similar fate due to similar topography.

[madurakarenda]

The Travel Club, Madurai, has appealed to the Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, to take steps to preserve the Vilakkuthoon police station building and also declare it a heritage structure.

In a letter sent to the Chief Minister on behalf of citizens of Madurai interested in preserving its heritage structures, the club expressed its grave concern over the move to raze down the building to make way for a modern police station. The letter recalled that pleas had been made over a period of time to the Madurai Collectors to take steps to declare the building a heritage structure.

Madurai, one of the oldest living cities in the world, could claim to have the unique advantage of having many historical sites, though many had vanished or been ruined due to invasion by various dynasties. World over, countries with less history were artificially creating historical sites and promoting them as tourist spots. While efforts were being made to showcase our history, it was indeed shocking to hear that a historical building was to be razed down, it said.

Considering the historical value of this place, the Travel Club wanted the original structure to be retained. It felt that the Chief Minister, who had sown a keen interest in preserving heritage buildings in Chennai, should also focus her attention on many heritage buildings and sites in Madurai, which should be protected for years to come.

The Travel Club said that the District Registrar's Office near to Tirumalai Nayak Palace built by the British in 19th Century; Pandian Super Market building located opposite to District Registrar's Office, which was donated by King Sethupati of Ramnad to Christian Missionaries to build a hospital in the 18th century; Vilakkuthoon erected in 1840 in memory of the then Collector Blackburn; Vilakkuthoon police station; Vittavasal, the remnant of a Pandya fort; building housing the office of the Commissioner of Police and rampart opposite Periyar bus stand built during the Nayak period were the structures that required immediate attention. The government should take steps to declare them as heritage structures.


http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/...cle2842351.ece

[madurakarenda]

The corridors of the Railway Institute resonate with Anglo-Indian history and tradition. Once upon a time, foot-tapping music filled the room and the dancers swayed to it, allowing their pleated long ball-gowns to grace their movements. In the perfect unison of song and dance, the century-old Railway Institute is a living testimony to those good old days of fun, frolic and revelry.

Earlier last month — on January 7 — the spirit of partying revisited the institute as members of the Anglo-Indian community flocked to celebrate the centenary of an institution where their parents and grandparents had spent happy moments. Some of the families living abroad came down to Madurai to relive those days.

Jane Cleur, 94, the oldest member of the community living in Madurai, inaugurated the plaque that marked the centenary celebrations. The Institute became synonymous with the community since its inception in1912. The community organised every wedding and celebrations in the Institute.

As the Anglo-Indians were more in number in the erstwhile mammoth mechanical department of the Railways, the then Divisional Mechanical Engineer Mr. Rose, a British, dedicated the institute to the community for recreational activities.

The evocative narrative of Marcus Cleur literally takes the listener to 1960s and 70s when the century-old Railway Institute reverberated with music and dance. Starting from January, the institute continued to reverberate with music, rock and roll and ball room dances. In fact, the balls are termed as – Pongal Ball, Valentine Ball, May Queen dance, June Rose Ball, Hot August Ball and Come September Ball.

Besides, they have their Christmas and New Year Ball on the nights of Christmas and New Year.

As the academic months were from January to December, youth get a chunk of holidays from the first week of the month which they used it for preparation for Carols and Serenading. “Serenading is pure fun. Boys dressed up in girls' costume sang traditional Christmas songs besides performing clean mischief like lifting name boards and plants and placing them in somebody else houses,” says Mr. Cleur, who owns a rock band since his college days and continues to play at important occasions of the community.

The 58-year-old Cleur, who is working as Ticket Inspector attached to Commercial Stores, fondly remembers how the Railway Colony was pulsating with scores of activities involving the institute. “Dance and music are an in-thing to the community. Every baby learns to dance watching elders as early as they begin to walk,” he says with visible exuberance.

The opening of immigration opportunities in England and Australia and lack of job opportunities forced the community members in droves to go out of the country. Lancelot Bentick, a guard in the railways, says: “Do not bring tears to my eyes. I have danced on the floors from my kindergarten days and music and dance are part of my self.” In fact, he floated a music band ‘Country Boys' and performed at the institute and various clubs on many occasions.

The institute has lot of unique features, he says. This is the biggest of all institutes in down South including the one at Perambur which is bigger breadth-wise. The billiard tables have created long standing national champion Vernie Freer, who was a driver with the Railways. “It is the first institute, or rather only institute to use the spring boards on the wooden floor. The hollow space where the springs are placed is roughly around six-and-a-half feet down the floor,” Mr. Bentick notes.

The octogenarian Ida D'Costa, who rocked the dance floors half-a-century-ago, says: “Those were golden days where the institute was full of activities like ‘Pound Social' where every family would bring a food item weighing one pound. After Grand march Lancer dance they would go for the buffet. Wish-drive and dance, twist, chia-chaia, bump dance, walls, jive are some the dance programmes that were organized at the institute during weekends.

The institute, though started as a recreation centre for the Anglo-Indian community, has served as a divisional office for few years before the present DRM office was constructed.

“In the past 100 years, the institute stands tall without budging to natural calamities that had rocked the city,” says Krishna G. Rao, a lecturer, who has witnessed the activities at the institute as a resident of the Railway Colony.

“The institute was the venue for ballroom dances, a British tradition, and Navarathri celebrations, wherein music concerts were organised during the week in 1980s,” claims Mr. Rao. Now, the institute resounds with music of British tradition only once a year during the Christmas celebrations.

Even at the first look, the British-styled structure of the institute designates its age. Further, the plaque at the entrance dating to 1912 reconfirms its antiquity. A cook's tour would give you the glimpse of the wooden floor that was the dancing floor of the community that is being used as badminton court. The community members believe that playing shuttlecock would spoil smoothness of the floor, which was only meant for dancing.

The two billiards tables, which is certainly more than three-quarter-century-old, adorn the institute making it more attractive even today for the game lovers. The boards have the pride of being a table used by many national-level players like Vernie Freer. The reading room that subscribes magazines and papers invite young and old alike, especially the members.

“There are about 3000 members including the retired Railway employees,” says A. Nowshadali, secretary in-charge of the Institute. The institute collects a monthly subscription of Rs.5.

The Anglo-Indian community that once ruled the roost in the institute is organising their celebrations at some city hotels owing to lack of facilities and space. “If something could be done, we are ready to associate ourselves with the institute which is filled with our ancestors' breath,” says Mr. Cleur.

Now, the institute is rented out to railway employees for organizing weddings and betrothals and family celebrations. To keep their tradition alive, even now the community members organize dance programmes in May whenever people come down to the city during summer vacations apart from the Christmas balls.

About the rumour that is making rounds that institute will be razed down or converted into some commercial structure, Mr. Cleur says, “Let it be a rumour because if anything happens to the institute, it would be nothing less than genocide.”

The emotional attachment to the institute is such that Annette Rozario has requested her relatives and friends to take her body after death to the institute and play music and call out her name. “I might get up and dance,” she says.


http://www.thehindu.com/life-and-sty...cle2850628.ece

[madurakarenda]

Originally Posted by rsubbu.mdu

MK,

Not sure about this place. History talks about three forts which served as a protection from any invasion the city of Madura. Those were Dindigul, Natham and Trichy. Not sure whether the fort at Natham still exists. The location of Madurai was bit ideal in terms of safety purposes. The capital of the kingdom when shifted to Trichy led to the obvious calamity which the other rulers could forsee and hence never opted for Trichy earlier. Even Hampi met a similar fate due to similar topography.

I have seen some 'Oomaithurai fort' somewhere near Sivaganga I guess blindly, I don't remember the place because I went there when i was about 8 years old rsubbu, i am sure you could shed some information in this

[Madurai gilli]

An aerial view of Ancient Madurai Meenakshi temple :



Source : Madurakaran Karthikeyan - FB